She's Got a Secret ONE SHOT
by ausllyxaustinally
Summary: Everybody knows Ally Dawson; Talented, Sweet, Dorky, Kind, Stoic. But there is also a lot they don't know, the many reasons why Ally has been spending so much time "away" to write music, the reasons behind Ally's suddenly questionable attitude.


**Just a random one shot that was thought up while I was laying lonely in my bed... I wanted to write something about the gang [Austin, Ally, Trish, and Dez] and how admiring their friendship is and how they help each other a lot. I thought this could work as a way to show how they care for one another. READ. TRY TO LOVE. ENJOY.**

"Okay, I liked that one," Austin told Ally with a smile. Ally nodded, scrolling through her phone. "It was better than the one you wrote about that puppy you saw the other day," Austin's eyes grew distant as he reminisced the awful song. When Ally didn't reply, he looked over at her. She wasn't even paying attention. "Ally?"

"Huh?" she let out, impolitely. Austin raised his bushy brows.

"What's up?" he asked, confused. "You're out of it, Ally. That's the fourth time today, and last week you weren't even paying attention in class. Is there something wrong?" he questions, his gut sensing something.

Ally sighs, "Yeah, I can't find your song. I lost it last week."

"My song?" he frowned, "You just played it for me," he pointed towards the iPod that was sitting in the doc.

"No, the other one! I wrote one that I was really proud of and I totally misplaced it and I didn't memorize it and I still needed to put music to it," Ally told him, flustered. Austin smiled over at his frantic friend.

"Don't worry, we'll find it." Austin assured her. Ally stared over at him and nodded, forcing herself not to lose concentration on his face. "You lose songs and then you find them. You do it all the time, Ally. I know you." Ally smiled and nodded. "I've got to go, Ally. I'm sorry. I promised Dez Chicken Pot Pie at Melody's Diner. Bye, Ally!"

Ally watched him walk away and his voice echoed in her mind: _I know you. _Obviously not enough, she thought to herself, slumping over in a green chair.

Because she _lied. _

*** PAGE BREAK ***

It was Thursday night and Miami Beach was packed with wooting fans who were watching the blonde boy on stage, rocking his new song written by his favourite person: Ally Dawson.

He was into the song, vocalizing each word perfectly. He busted a few dance moves, but his eyes continued to wander towards Ally. She wasn't watching. Ally _always _watched. Instead, she had one arm crossed over her chest and the other up to her mouth where her teeth got access to nibble on her finger nail. Her eyes were distant, staring off in a different world.

Austin wasn't the only concerned one, Trish and Dez had noticed Ally's odd behavior over the last week and a half. The way she was constantly going somewhere "private" to write Austin's songs or how she was starting to miss out on school. It wasn't like her at all. At first, they'd all dismissed it for Ally having a busy schedule but they were starting to grow more curious. And when they asked about it, Ally would assure them she was fine and just stressed about some lyrics, then when Austin would ask to help, she'd say no. It was worrying the group.

Austin grinned, but only half of his heart was on stage enjoying himself, the other half was somewhere else, worrying about his partner. Austin was in the middle of his second song, playing his acoustic guitar, when he suddenly noticed Ally's body tense up as she placed her phone to her ear. He watched her rake her fingers through her long, brown hair as she nodded, listening intensely. Her eyes were unreadable.

Austin shook his head, he needed to know what was happening, but as of now, he needed to focus on the crowd before he forgot the words to his song due to all of his concern being on his (favourite) friend.

Trish was watching her best friend hang up the phone and collect her things. "Ally, what's going on?"

Ally looked towards her best friend, "Oh, nothing...But, Uh, I've gotta go. I really need to finish Austin's song-"

"Can't you do it after the show? You know Austin loves it when you watch his show and cheer him on," Trish replied. Ally could already feel her muscles growing tight with stress.

"I have homework, too, you know. I'm sure Austin wouldn't mind if I slipped out-"

"What if he does mind? You being at all of his shows, important or not, is very vital to him." Trish pressed, a bossy node in her voice.

"Trish, I need to-"

"Ally, come on, stay for Austin," Trish continued, "look at him up there, it'd tear him to pieces if you walked out in the middle of the show. Plus, we were all going to go to a fancy restaurant after, Austin's treat." she grinned.

Ally glanced towards Austin who was still up there singing. Trish was shocked by Ally's next reply, "I have to go, Trish. Now, stop." Ally never raised her voice so Trish stepped back. Ally was in such a rush, she didn't have time to feel guilty. She bolted with her things and the last thing Austin saw was the brunette in the yellow top, ditching out on one of his shows. He was disappointed. Trish looks over at her red-haired friend who looked equally as confused and concerned as she was.

*** PAGE BREAK***

"Ally, I'm sorry that I pushed your buttons last night, but please, just answer your phone..." Trish pleaded guiltily to Ally's voicemail. Austin and Dez watched her pace back at forth worriedly. She hung up the phone.

"Maybe she needs time. You obviously upset her." Austin said, continuing to tune his guitar. Trish sighed. The two boys looked at each other and then at Trish. "Look, Trish, we don't know what's going on with her either, but she's obviously busy. She'll be her old self again soon. Don't worry."

"I guess you're right," she agreed, nodding. "She's just never spoken to me in that tone before...I was shocked."

"She's never walked out on one of my performances before either," Austin added, his voice drooping with frozen disappointment.

"Hey, it's Ally's phone. It must've been on silent." Dez suddenly blurted, picking up Ally's cell phone that was on the front desk of Sonic Boom.

"Her phone?" Trish's eyes grew semi larger. "That must be why she wasn't answering...but she never leaves her phone behind."

"She did this time, she must be really busy." Austin said. Dez suddenly played her voicemail on speaker.

"Wow, you're really annoying," Dez said, but ducked when she tried to hit him. Suddenly, the gang froze when they heard an unfamiliar voice. They all stared at the phone.

_"Hello, Ally. It's Suzie again from Miami Regional Hospital. I just wanted to let you know that things still aren't looking good for your Dad. I don't know how much longer, you should stay with him. His breathing has changed quite a bit. I know you don't necessarily like this context, but I was thinking of referring you to grief counseling. I think it would be great for you, you know, just for a little help. I'm not saying you have to, but I would recommend it. Talk to you another time, Ally. Bye!" _

The group didn't say a word. They sat in silence, taking in what the voicemail had said. Then it had occurred to them. Ally had been hiding something huge. "I don't understand," Trish suddenly said, her voice just above a whisper. "Is Mr. Dawson dying?" They all exchanged soulful glances.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Is there by any chance a Lester Dawson in the building?" Austin asked the lady who sat behind the front desk. She pushed up her glasses and stared at the handsome blonde boy.

"You are?" she questioned.

"Austin Moon. I'm...I'm like his son?" Austin glanced at Trish, unsure. Trish nodded. The woman stared at them for a couple of moments before nodding and flipping through some files.

"Yes, there is. Lester Dawson. ICU, Room 100." she said. The group nodded and slowly walked towards the elevator to head to the ICU. The group didn't exchange words except for the occasional: "_This way."_

Finally, the group came across Room 100. The door was opened and they peaked inside. There laid a nearly lifeless Lester Dawson and down in a chair beside the bed, a small brunette with her head in her hands

"Ally?" Trish suddenly blurted softly. Ally looked up in alarm. She stared at her friends for a few long moments. She didn't know what to say. There was no lying now. She was caught. She looks over to her father and then back at her friends.

"What happened?" The three friends chorused.

Before Ally could even reply, a doctor walked right into the room. Ally stood up immediately, gulping down air as if it was the last breath she'd ever take. "Nothing's changed. He's still limp in that coma," the doctor informed Ally. Ally didn't respond and her eyes still held a flat look, but if you looked hard enough you could see the brokenness inside of them. He sighs, taking off his glasses as he stares into the eyes of Ally Dawson. "I'm sorry, Ally, but there's nothing outside of a miracle."

Ally looked away from the doctor and stared down at her father. "I don't want to take him off life support," she told the doctor, stubbornly, knowing that that was exactly what he was implying. The doctor sighed.

"Ally-"

She snapped, "He's fine the way he is." _Is he? _A voice whispered at the back of her mind. Trish stared at her best friend from across the room. She'd never seen Ally like this before. Dez watched Ally with sympathy and confusion, as did Austin, but he held a longing look in his eyes, he just wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was okay, that he would help her with anything she needed.

"I'll be back in to check on him in an hour," then the doctor walked out. Carefully, Ally's friends stepped in. Ally sighed softly and took a seat on the chair. She vowed not to break in front of them as she did so.

"He got into a car accident," she said, her voice was empty and tired. Her friends stared back at her.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Trish questioned, her voice hollow as she stared at the man who was like a second father to her.

"I didn't tell anybody," Ally assured her, "I didn't...I don't know," Ally glanced around the room, wanting to look anywhere but at her father or her friends. She could feel a lump swelling inside her throat, she knew she was already breaking in front of their eyes. "I guess I didn't want to believe that it was really happening and if I told people that...that this was happening...then it really would be."

"Ally, you need us," Austin suddenly said, staring at her with concern.

"I don't need anyone," Ally defiantly replied.

"Yes. You do." Austin emphasized each word. She looked into his eyes which was a very bad decision because it tugged on her heart. "You should've said something. We could've helped you through the last week. You didn't need to do this alone."

Ally nodded, pressing her lips tightly together as she stared at her lap, smoothing out the wrinkles in her jeans with her clammy palms. "Can you please leave?" she asks her friends.

"No," Austin replies, shaking his head, "we're not going anywhere."

"Okay," Ally responds before looking up at them with weary eyes and finally accepting that she couldn't hold it in any longer, "Then I'm going to cry."

"That's okay," Trish told her with a soft smile. Ally's lip quivered and the dam in her heart broke loose, stray tears falling from her eyes. Austin was the first one to wrap his strong arms around her petite frame and hold her in her moment of weakness. Dez and Trish pulled up chairs, sitting by Ally, every now and then giving her a comforting touch.

"We're here for you, Ally." Dez suddenly said. It surprised Ally. None of them generally had heartfelt moments such as this. Their lives were a huge comedy show with corn dog drumsticks, rubber spiders in soups, kicking kangaroo's, so this moment totally threw Ally off, but she accepted their comfort anyways. She needed it.

***PAGE BREAK***

Another week had passed at the trio hadn't left Ally's side. They sat with her day and/or night, silent as they waited for anything to change in Mr. Dawson's health. Nothing ever did and Ally was starting to lose hope. She could already feel the grasp she had on his heart, slowly slipping as she reached for a different grasp, one that told her she needed to let him go because he was suffering. But still, Ally hadn't made the inner agreement with herself to complete the doctors request by taking him off life support.

It was midday on a Saturday, the group was bored and tired. Ally was entertaining herself by playing with the ends of her hair that were slightly split, she tried to recall the last time she had a haircut. Dez was playing with an elastic band, frowning when he smacked himself in the face. Trish was sitting across from Dez, laughing freely as she softly clapped her hands, careful not to be too loud, but making sure he heard her mockery. Austin was playing a game of Flappy Bird on his phone as a way to make time pass by more quickly, easily growing frustrated when he couldn't beat his high score of only 70.

The nurses occasionally slipped into the room to check Lester's charts, no longer informing Ally of anything considering nothing worth telling was happening, they would then walk out and leave Ally wondering about the future. She knew if she didn't take him off life support, this is how her life would look - constantly worrying and spending her days by her father's bedside with false hope of him waking up, but she also knew if she did take him off life support that it was definitely going to hurt and her heart would break. She couldn't decipher which solution was better. Keep him or let him go? The question lingered in her mind.

"Are you okay?" came the soft voice of her music partner from beside her. She looked over at Austin, noticing him finally putting his phone away. Ally managed to quirk a smile as she bobbed her head up and down slowly.

"Yeah," her voice was soft.

"Have you slept?" he questioned, noting the dark circles under her eyes. Ally shrugged.

"I've snuck in a couple hours here and there," she admitted.

"You should go home and get some rest. We'll watch him for you." Austin told her, thoughtfully. Ally shook her head.

"I can't sleep. I've tried and I wouldn't feel right leaving him. Something might happen," she told him, glancing towards the man who lay silent on his bed.

"Something might not," Austin replied, "Come on, Ally. You're not helping yourself by not sleeping."

"I'll be fine," Ally assured him, her voice firm and leaving no room for Austin to argue anymore. Austin was hesitant, but he finally listened to her, nodding his head and slouching back in his seat. His eyes didn't leave her figure; he was really worried about her and he didn't know what will happen to her when/if Mr. Dawson does pass.

"Miss Dawson," a formal voice addressed from the doorway. The group looked over and eyed the woman standing there. Ally lifted her hand, showing her presence as she slowly stood up from her chair. The woman nodded her head towards the hallway, referring to time alone with Ally.

Ally swallowed hard, glancing at her friends before heading into the hallway. The woman looked Ally confidently in the eye. Ally felt quite intimidated; the woman was taller, wearing a white blouse and black pencil skirt, followed by shiny black heels that pointed at the toe. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her glasses were pushed up to the bridge of her nose. Ally almost grimaced at the woman's bold, red lipstick that almost seemed too bright to match her green eyes.

"My name is Nancy Galloway. I'm from Riverside Funeral Chapel-"

Ally's heart leapt into her throat, "I'm sorry, what? Funeral Chapel? I think you've-"

"Denial. First stage of grief, right next to shock," Nancy was polite enough to smile as she showed Ally a piece of paper with words of information scattered every which way. It overwhelmed Ally. "I would like to talk with you about your father. This will be a long and heartbreaking journey, I hope that you have a great support system. I wanted to discuss a few things with you, such as: Cemeteries - whether or not you want to cremate your father, if you want the body in a casket what plot you would like, your finances to afford such things, the prices of caskets or urns, the booking for the funeral and viewing, what church you would like the funeral-"

"Whoa, Whoa, stop. Just stop," Ally held up her hands, taking a deep breath. "First of all, he's in there _sleeping _right now, second of all, I haven't had time to process any of this, how dare you have the audacity to speak with me about any of this. That is rude and impolite. He is not going to die, he will be just fine. I don't want to see you."

Nancy gave a sympathetic look. "I know this must be hard, but it must be discussed, Miss Dawson," she sighed when she saw Ally shake her head. "How about I give you my card?" the woman grabbed her business card and shoved it into the grieving girl's hands. "That has my e-mail and number on there, along with my address. When you are ready, give me a shout," she smiled softly, comforting touching Ally's shoulders before walking away, her heels clicking noisily in the hallway.

Ally stood there for a moment, trying to take in what happened. "Are you alright, Dearie?" questioned a friendly nurse. Ally looked over at the nurse and nodded.

"Um, Yeah, Yeah I'm fine." Ally assured her. The nurse went unconvinced but nodded anyways.

"I understand what you're going through," the nurse said comfortingly. _Do you? _Ally thought. "My father was in a coma as well when I was about 23. It was hard to let go, but after I really thought about it, I realized I didn't want him to suffer. His body was still feeling all of that pain while he was in that coma and I needed to come to terms with that. Did I want him to live like that? Did I want to watch him waste away? Did I want to spend my life watching him slowly die? Finally, I made the decision that was best for him, not me. I'm sure you'll reach a decision as well."

Ally was sure the nurse didn't mean for Ally to analyze what she'd just said, but she was. Repeating it over and over again to herself. Before she found the courage to walk back into her father's room.

"Well?" Trish asked, looking concerned.

"It was nothing important," Ally said, this time not even caring about how breathless she sounded or the fact that her friends definitely were not convinced. Ally stared down at the business card in her hand. She felt so alone. Her father was all she had left of family; her mother was in Africa, doing God knows what, her grandparents live in Canada, her relatives are either all dead or she is estranged with them. Her father was the only immediate family she had that she could really rely on.

_Eighteen years went by way too fast, _Ally thought to herself, mourning.

"You know we'll always be here for you, right?" Trish questioned, touching her best friend's shoulder. That's when Ally realized the tears on her cheeks and her friends concerned faces. Ally smiled gratefully up at the Latina. She nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do." Ally replied softly. She was starting to get really scared because she found herself starting to wonder about taking him off life support. She swore that she would never let it cross her mind, but here she was, with a huge choice to make. One that would determine the rest of her life.

***PAGE BREAK***

Ally thought long and she thought hard. It was nearing evening time. The clock was ticking slower and slower by the minute.

"Trish," Ally whispered, leaning up against the wall of the hospital room, sitting next to her Latina friend. Trish turned to look at Ally, noticing the pain that lay not very hidden in her eyes. Her face grew apologetic.

"Yes?" Trish responded.

"Why is this happening to me?" she wondered, her voice catching at the end of her question, a whimper finally escaping her lips. Trish's eyes grew wider with sincerity and sadness. She wrapped her chubby, but secure arms around Ally's frame and hugged her tight. The room growing intense when the sound of Ally's sobs fill the room. No longer could Ally fake a smile or hold in the sobs from behind pursed lips.

"I'm so sorry," said Ally's best friend from beside her, tears slipping from her eyes as well. Ally nodded, her cries quieting but her shoulders still shook with each sob that wracked her body.

Ally felt the presence of her musical partner beside her, his strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him this time. He pressed a soft kiss on her temple and instead of gasping in shock, Ally accepting the comfort and curled into him. Trish exchanged a glance with Dez, who looked like he was trying to hold it together himself. There was no greater care in the world than these four friends had.

Ally soon composed herself and they all sat in silence for another hour or two. It was nearly eight P.M. now and visiting hours were starting to come to an end. Ally was still leaned against the wall, but her friends had moved to sit on the uncomfortable chairs and couch after Ally had requested she wanted some space.

"Good evening, Ally," the doctor said, he had stopped prying at her about her father and now just continued to always be polite towards the young girl. Ally gulped as she stood up, watching the doctor as he checked on her father. "Visiting hours are nearly over, don't lost track of time," he grinned at her. Her lips twitched but she couldn't find it in her to smile back.

"Your father is doing okay - nothing significant has changed," he informed her, flipping through papers. He was about to leave the room when he heard Ally call out his name with a croaky voice.

"Dr. Simmons?"

He looks at her and notices the whites of her eyes are turning a light shade of red. "Yes, Miss Dawson?" he replies. Ally takes a deep breath and forces the question out of her mouth, noting the way it kills her inside.

"Could you do me a favor?" she questions as he cocks his head slightly but nods. "Could you take him off life support please?"

The question shocked everybody, besides Ally herself. She knew it was the right thing. She heard the sudden shuffles; Austin who was slouching in his chair, now sitting straight, Dez slowly straightening out, and Trish jolting to a standing position. Dr. Simmons gives Ally a soft look as he nods his head.

"I will go get the paper work," he informs her and as he walks out Ally knows it's too late to change her mind. The decision was made.

**Fifteen Minutes Later**

A chair was pulled up by the hospital bed and Ally sat on that chair, her fingers tangled with her father's as tears trailed down her cheeks and dropped from her chin to her lap. Her three supportive friends stood at the back of the room, watching the scene sadly and sympathetically in front them. Doctor Simmons stood on the other side of the bed, giving Ally a look and waiting for her confirmation. She nods slowly and he responds by letting his finger's unplug wires from the machine and hit a few buttons. Ally whispers a goodbye.

The room is silent and Ally's gaze doesn't tear away from her father's face. She watches the machine that controlled his breathing begin to slow, slow, slow, and stop. She wonders if her eyes have betrayed her but when she sees that is chest is no longer rising or falling, she knows it's the truth. She can see the racing pulse in his neck slowing as well until it pulses no more. She watches doctor Simmons press his stethoscope to her father's chest, checking for a heartbeat before he finally looks Ally in the eyes and softly says, "I'm sorry for your loss, Miss Dawson."

Ally can hardly handle it before her eyes are full with tears. Slowly, she lays her forehead onto her father's hands, releasing heartbroken sobs. But she's not the only one who cries; Trish sobs into her hands, too, and it was no secret that Austin and Dez let a few tears fall as well.

But Ally wasn't entirely broken because she knew her friends were with her and that was everything she would need to get through the next couple years of her life until her pain starts to lose its sting. That was all she needed to get through in tough trials; she needed friendship and love. And she had all of that because they were sitting in the hospital room right with her, and they were all crying with her and for her. And for the first time since the whole trauma went down, she felt okay. She _knew _she would be okay.

**So.**

**That was kinda a downer.**

**I'm sorry. **

**But I hoped this turned out exactly how I wanted the theme to go, which was the importance/value of friendship! :D I sort of wanted the drama to relate to real life, too. Everybody experiences pain at some point in their life and I wanted this to tell that person that they will be okay again, it's going to hurt for a while, but things will be okay. Especially if you have your friends. People will be there for you, people won't be there for you, but in the end, you'll be okay. And if you're not okay yet, then it's not the end! **


End file.
